Porch Light Conversations
by Alexander von Caesar
Summary: We're supposed to solve problems with our blades, spears, arrows and shields. But sometimes, all we needed was someone to talk to. Someone to comfort us, love us, be our friends, be our mentor.
1. Introduction

Hey guys! I'm back, and writing a collection of oneshots.

Basically, these are all going to be late night conversations on Cabin Porches. I don't know what really inspired this. I was out last night on my porch relaxing when I kind of started to draft ideas in my head.

Most characters will be canon, the only ones that aren't are Alex Corcoran and Marcus Grace. Their pasts aren't important right now, because most of their traits/personality/experiences are easily deduced through these conversations.

Also, I changed up the plot of MoA a bit. Be aware there will still be spoilers, and I will be sure to include a spoiler warning for MoA if the chapter deals with it.

Basically, Alex is brought along to New Rome to stay behind and broker peace. The crap still hits the fan however, and in the chaos Reyna joins the Argo crew. This is by a loophole Alex found in the prophecy. Basically, the prophecy only requires the seven to get to Greece. After all is said and done, Reyna and Alex return to Camp Half-Blood and try to bring peace between Greece and Rome.

Some of these take place before Heroes of Olympus, some take place during. I might even decide to indulge my own obsession with past demigods and have conversations between people like FDR and Winston Churchill, but I believe has regulations against that. If not, expect a couple of those.

This is rated T due to use of legal drugs by minors, and if the rating needs to be kicked up to M just give the word and it will be done. I searched the regulations for how drugs play out, and I assumed T would be the proper rating for what I want to write. The only person who uses drugs is typically Alex, but occasionally other demigods might.

I previously mentioned these are all going to be on porches. I cannot promise I'll stick to that, but about 70% will. I just really want to have two demigods have a conversation and interact.

As for length, I'd like to shoot for 3,000 word minimum each chapter, but my goal is 4k to 5k.

The first chapter should be up by today or tomorrow. I'm on a week break right now so I'll probably churn out about 3-5 chapters by Sunday if all goes well.

Thanks!


	2. Cigarettes and Tears

DISCLAIMER: All characters but Alexander Corcoran and Marcus Grace are inventions of Rick Riordan. I own none of them nor the book series. Some of the events in this fanfiction are of my own invention, but none of it could have been done without Mr. Riordan. WE LOVE YOU UNCLE RICK.

A/N: Hey guys! Here's the first chapter. I didn't even hit 2k with this one, sadly, nevermind my 3k goal. I promise I'll do better next chapter. This one deals with the night after Percy goes missing. Enjoy!

December 16, 2010

Alex hated the time of the year. It was always so damn cold at Camp.

Normally it wouldn't be, since Dionysus liked to keep it warm, but the wine god had been recalled to Olympus. Alex hadn't thought a thing of at the time, until Percy went missing.

Alex stepped out on his porch's cabin, lighting up a cigarette. Percy Jackson. Alex's best friend. Or kind of. He and Percy got along great after Alex had cleaned himself up. The young son of Apollo had cut everyone out of his life, deciding firmly he would have no place in the Titan War. But, one thing led to another, and he became a war hero. Alex snorted, causing his smoke to come out of his mouth before he could inhale. He swore under his breath.

Percy was missing now. Two days. Annabeth wasn't a mess in public, but Alex knew better. He grew up with Annabeth, suffered the Titan's Curse with her and Percy. He was there to witness the duel between Percy and Kronos along with Annabeth. He knew Annabeth had a spine of steel, but losing your best friend for five years and boyfriend for a hand full of months was rough for even the hardest of warriors.

He finished his cigarette and stepped off his porch, gingerly making his way to the Athena cabin. He wasn't afraid of the harpies. Besides, Marcus had thrown the Camp into 'overtime'. Curfews were abolished, training was doubled, a task force was organized to find Percy. As much as Alex hated his adoptive brother, he had to grudgingly admit Marcus was making the right decisions.

When Alex approached the Athena cabin porch, seeing a familiar blonde hanging her head, hands gripped into fists. Alex approached quietly, before stopping and lighting up another cig. The click of the light caused Annabeth's head to snap up to him. Her eyes were mixed of emotions. Anger, sadness, grief, anger.

"You shouldn't be out. You'll catch a cold," Alex said.

She glared. "I don't care. I need to be alone."

"That's the last thing you need. Trust me," Alex told her solemnly. He had lost countless siblings in the war.

Annabeth sighed shakily. Alex could see that her eyes were red, and her cheeks were moist. "I haven't felt like this since he went missing after St. Helen's."

"He came back."

"This is so much different. There's no closure. He could be dead, he could be out there somewhere," she said, standing up to kick an empty bottle of water.

Alex stepped onto the porch, inhaling some of of his cigarette. "He's not dead, Beth," he told her, looking her dead in the eye.

"How can you be sure?"

"No man, monster, nor Titan ever defeated him. What could have possibly killed him?" Alex asked.

She gave forth a sound that sounded like choking. Alex rushed forward, but he realized she was sobbing.

"It isn't fair. He saved Camp, he saved the damn world. He gave everyone a cabin, every God a throne. Who would have done this?" she asked, new tears rolling down her cheeks.

Alex sighed, smoking the rest of his cigarette before stomping on it. "You and I both know that that his only enemy on Olympus now is his most dangerous." Zeus, but the name went unspoken.

Annabeth 's knuckles went white. "After all he did... after this and they still refuse to acknowledge that he did anything right. Sometimes..."

"Annabeth."

"We lost so many and they don't even care." Thunder boomed.

"Annabeth!"

She just glared at the sky. "Maybe Luke was ri-"

Alex cut her off by seizing her wrist and clamping a hand over her mouth. "Annabeth! Enough," he said desperately. This wasn't like her at all. Annabeth never spoke of the Gods like that, if at all.

A few moments passed and she nodded. Alex took his hand off her mouth and let her go. She stood up and hugged Alex tightly. Alex just hugged her back, one hand on the back of her head.

"I miss him, Alex," she whispered.

Alex smiled. "Yeah, so do I."

"Really?" she asked, pulling away.

Alex rolled his eyes. "I didn't hate him. We just disagreed on my life choices. It was for the best, I don't drink as much as I used to. We got along."

"Yeah, but... after Max died..."

Alex froze, before letting her go carefully. "Yes?"

Annabeth sighed. "You seemed so distant. And you only showed up back at Camp last week. I thought..."

"Marcus Grace killed my sister. Not Percy. Not you. Not Luke. Hades, not even Kronos did it."

Annabeth looked Alex square in the eye. "You have to forgive him. It was his men acting on their own will against his orders."

Alex slammed his fist into the pillar holding the porch roof up. "Maybe if he hadn't lost his mind like a boy, he might have never organized his 'Thundertroops'. Maybe my sister would still be alive, and not raped and killed," I hissed. Annabeth shrank back.

"He apologized."

Alex looked at her dangerously. "This is just the beginning. The only God who had a chance against Zeus was Poseidon. The only one who had the power to keep Marcus in check was Percy. Now Percy's gone. Thalia has an itch for power, Annabeth. Marcus... lusts for it," he told her lowly.

Annabeth sighed and looked away. "I won't argue with you about Marcus. I'm not in the mood."

Alex nodded. He'd keep his rage in check for Annabeth. "You're right. I'm sorry Beth."

She sat down again. "Who do you think did this?" she asked.

Alex sat with her on the swing bench. "It had to have been an immortal. Monsters can't get in Camp. The Titans are locked away."

"Anything in your visions?"

Alex inhaled deeply. He couldn't give out prophecies anymore. His father and the other Olympians made that quite clear. "I knew he was going to be taken. It wasn't clear who. I ran from the City all the way to Camp."

"That's... 121 miles. Why didn't you take the car?"

"It was broke. Besides, Hermes granted me his shoes. I guess he's softening up."

"It wasn't you he hated. It was me," Annabeth said.

Alex shrugged. "I was with Luke to the very end. If anyone should be blamed for his fall, it should be me."

Annabeth had no answer. "No one could have saved him."

"Other than himself. He always was independent like that. Still is, probably."

Annabeth nodded. Alex lit up another cigarette. She glared.

"Must you smoke around me?"

"I'm stressed. You don't want to see me without my vices," he told her, inhaling the smoke.

She rolled her eyes. "You're going to get cancer."

Alex chuckled. "I've survived one quest, one imprisonment, and two battles that ball culminated in a war. Cancer sounds like a fine way to die," he told her.

Annabeth shook her head. "So you don't have much in your visions?"

Alex glared. "You know damn well I couldn't tell you."

She took her hand in his. "Alex. Just tell me. Is he alive?"

Alex sighed, squeezing her hand. "I can tell you he isn't dead. Have you had any dreams?"

Annabeth looked away. "Annabeth?" Alex asked.

"Yes. Hera wants me to go to the Grand Canyon. Find a hero with one shoe. He'll be the answer to my problems."

Alex racked his brains for how familiar that sounded. "Like the hero... Jason. Jason... oh Gods, oh Gods."

"What is it?" Annabeth asked with a hard gaze.

Alex had been placed in Wilderness School back in August. He had requested, seeing it in his visions. He met Leo and Piper. Then along came Jason. He had a feeling that the three were demigods, but soon he was... forced out of the school by administration. Maybe divine intervention?

"I got placed in Wilderness School after the war. I was following up a lead in my visions. I met a couple of kids, thought they might have been demigods. Then this kid Jason comes along... I had a feeling about him. Then I got kicked out... or released, really. That's when I drifted a bit in November before coming back to the City. Then I had my dream about Percy, and ran to Camp."

"You didn't call about these kids?" Annabeth asked, a little harshly.

"I didn't exactly know it was a priority. Besides, a satyr was on it. Hedge or something," Alex explained.

Annabeth sighed. "I was hoping... it might be Percy."

Alex nodded. "Look, this Jason kid... he's a good guy. I think he's what Camp needs in the absence of Percy."

"What's he like?"

Alex scratched his head. "Duty first. Honor bound. Stands up for justice. He doesn't joke like Percy. Shorter hair. Less stubble," Alex explained.

"Percy didn't have stubble," Annabeth said, laughing a bit.

"Sure he did! He didn't make it a priority to shave every morning. It's a Greek thing anyway."

"And shorter hair with clean shaven is?"

Alex's breath hitched. "I don't know. Maybe he just likes to be hygienic."

Annabeth nodded. "You wanna come with? They might react better to someone they know."

Alex smoked the rest of his cigarette. "When do you wanna leave?"

"Day after tomorrow is when we should be there. That's what Hera advised."

Alex nodded. "Alright. Take a chariot?"

"I suppose so. Don't think we could just take a train tomorrow?"

"I got a bad feeling about it."

"Like, bad or visions bad?"

"Eh, a mix of both," Alex told her.

Annabeth nodded. "Good. I'm gonna get some sleep, or see if I can."

Alex and she stood up at the same time. "Same. Sweet dreams," he said, stepping off the porch, lighting up yet another cigarette.

"Hey Alex?" Annabeth said hesitantly.

"Yeah Beth?" he asked turning back to her. She stepped forward and hugged him, Alex holding his burning cig away from her. "Thanks," she murmured.

Alex smiled and hugged her back with one arm. "I'm always for you Beth."

She pulled away. "I know."

"We'll find him."

"I know."

"You know everything," Alex joked.

Annabeth laughed a bit. "Not yet," she joked in return.

"Mmm. One day, I'm sure. Well, get some sleep. Three unclaimed demigods sure don't repel monsters," Alex told her.

Annabeth nodded, before exchanging farewells with him, and went inside. Alex finished his cigarette and went back to his Cabin. He quietly snuck back into his quarters, and fell asleep as soon as he hit the bed.

A/N: So I felt that I didn't portray Annabeth very accurately, but she is in a huge state of distress. Once she collects herself, she'll be that steely eyed vixen badass we all love. I also felt a bit rushed since I wanted to get my foot in the door. The next chapter will introduce you to Marcus, full biological brother of Thalia and Jason. The brothers get to know each other and discuss leadership and its challenges.


End file.
